Judge rules Uber, Lyft must treat California drivers as employees

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A judge on Monday ordered ride-hailing giants Uber and Lyft to treat their California drivers as employees instead of independent contractors, a shift that would guarantee benefits like overtime, sick leave and expense reimbursement for workers who make up much of the freewheeling gig economy. But the ruling from San Francisco Superior Court Judge Ethan P. Schulman won’t take effect right away as both Uber and Lyft said Monday they will immediately appeal to a higher court, which could put the ruling on hold as the case continues.